That accessing a medical appointment shouldn't involve so many barriers and that there should be more recognition of the need for privacy?

[HarrysRedPants]

It's AIBU, I'm expecting a flaming, and I'm not posting for anything other than a rant but here goes.

I need to make an appointment to go to the GUM clinic. I won't go into details but have had some ongoing issues but due to the amount of stress I've been under and having felt unable to face my fear of going (I've been several times in the past but I'm anxious this time) I have put it off. I really, really struggle with medical stuff, particularly anything intimate. It takes a lot for me to even build up to making the call.

I found the courage to phone the clinic this morning. The last time I phoned around a year ago I was able to speak to a receptionist when I called, give a few details and then get booked in to see a female doctor. This time, it's answerphone only, leave a message, they will phone back, then a telephone consultation with a dr will be arranged in the first instance. So I left the voicemail, hoping they would phone back whilst I have privacy and an empty house. I have been browsing on my phone all morning and no call has come through- has gone straight to voicemail. I checked my settings and no reason why the call shouldn't have come through. So I've had to call back, leave another voicemail and am waiting again for a call that will hopefully come through this time.

Except I now no longer have an empty house, I live in a relatively new build with paper-thin walls and have no privacy. I don't want to have a conversation about intimate, personal medical problems when my family might hear. I totally get why they need to ask for a few details but when it was possible to speak to someone initially before, and not have to leave a message, it made it much easier for people who struggle for privacy or are working etc to choose a better time to phone. At the least, why can't there be an option to give details over email? There is absolutely nothing that allows this. Plus there is now the faff of having to have left two voicemails , I still haven't spoken to anyone and no idea when I will actually be able to have a physical appointment.

I just don't think it should be this difficult or that there should be so little regard in this day and age for the fact that it can be really difficult to pick up the phone in the first place and this feels like extra barriers. And so little regard for privacy. I've been thinking maybe I won't bother as a result.

I know there are people really struggling with far worse experiences within the NHS at the moment and that it seems trivial in comparison. I just don't understand why the appointments system for this bit has to be soo much worse than just under a year ago.

Rant over.

I know exactly what you mean. I had an HRT review last week so arranged my day accordingly around the time I was given. Except they called me three hours early while I was out walking my dog and mid conversation with a fellow walker who I only really know in passing. The GP was quite rude to me when I said I wasn't expecting a call at that time and was unavailable to speak.

But the OP doesn't get the choice of not leaving the voicemail if she isn't certain or doesn't feel comfortable.

I'm not disputing them not leaving voicemails on patients phones but they also shouldn't expect patients to leave voicemails on theirs.

There should be someone available to take the phone call. I'm not sure why you're fighting so hard on this. You should be allowed to talk to a person and get an appointment. You shouldn't have to rely on someone picking up your voicemail, understanding it and returning your call at an appropriate time to get an appointment, then start the whole rigmarole again if you dare to be away from your phone at the exact time they try to call.

Also Superdrug now offer STI testing kits that you can post off... Just incase anyone isn't aware and it might be useful

@DaniRabbity I've read your post again and you've made such good points about who else is negatively affected by this kind of booking system.

I'm not expecting some kind of 5 star treatment- I wasn't even expecting an appointment this week or anything like that. I don't think it's much to ask to consider how to make it easier for people to make appointments- whether that's for disabilty reasons, safety or just because some people find it really bloody hard, especially when it's intimate healthcare.

What a delightful response

I'm sure the op wasn't just playing around on her phone, it's more likely that mobile signal dropped out so the call then went to voicemail, it happens.

That's a good point- I've used in the past but really can't afford to at the moment.

I don't actually think it's an STI but could be BV and they helped me with this previously. It's also not entirely impossible it's an STI though.

I'm sure the op wasn't just playing around on her phone, it's more likely that mobile signal dropped out so the call then went to voicemail, it happens.

Exactly 😂 of course I could have given them the landline but again- PRIVACY!

I find having to have conversations on the phone (or even worse, getting letters in the post, what a waste of time and money) completely archaic full stop. Obviously the option should be there for those who want it but for most things it’s not necessary. I’m sure they could complete the gate keeping element of this electronically somehow.

I know what you mean. My local Brook only take phonecalls. It would be so much easier to have an online booking system.

I think unfortunately, phone calls do reduce the number of no-shows, as there is more personal accountability tan clicking a few buttons.

girlmom21 because it is ludicrous to expect someone to be available to call you when your neighbours aren't at home. And sometimes it's cost effective and therefore a better use of nhs money to be able to just listen to voicemails and ring people back than having to have a 20 minute call where someone explains stuff to you that they have to be quick and succinct about on a voicemail.

If you suspect BV try something called Multi-Gyn Actigel. Sorts me out every time.

If it's BV your best course of action is antibiotics from Superdrug too, around £18 for them. I had recurrent issues neither the gel, nor pessary treatment would shift. Also dependant on what area you live in SH:24 do free home testing kits. There may also be a similar local service to you. Hope you get sorted OP

I haven't disputed that it's ludicrous to expect that. My only argument is that nobody should have to leave a voicemail about their medical issues. I agree with you on everything else.

OP some pharmacists can prescribe. It might be worst visiting one.

@Madamecastafiore where is the assumptions about neighbours coming from? I would like to be able to have the conversation with the receptionist in privacy when my parents who I live with aren't in the house- and when my children are at school! Literally have no idea what my neighbours are up to, lol. I don't 'expect' anyone to be able to call me when it's convenient for me- I would just like to the system to be as it was previously- I could call at a time when I had privacy to do so, and if they weren't able to answer at the time, no problem- i understand if they're busy- I could always try again later, again at a time that was convenient for me.

Oh and I also didn't have to explain anything about the issue over the voicemail. I said could I please have an appointment with a female doctor, told them my name, and gave my number for the call back. So it any case, the receptionist needed an explanation on the phone rather than voicemail anyway.

Thanks @ThreeLittleDots @Starrylight- I'm definitely getting some pelvic pain and irritation in general and have had similar before. I think a physical exam is necessary due to prior issues on this occasion.

My GP surgery has a thing where you fill in an online form to request a routine appointment. It works really well- they've always got back to me quickly. Frees up the phone too for those who can't manage other technology.

Would be good if this system could be applied elsewhere in the NHS.

I agree. Aside from the voicemail problem which is just bad luck, they should instinctively know exactly what time your house is going to be empty and only call you back at that time. It's just not good enough.

Systems where they call you at some random time of their choosing are an absolute nightmare for so many people. I’m a teacher so I know it is from our point of view (can hardly take a call and have a conversation about medical issues in front of the class! And even if you could step out for five minutes finding some where private while you’re on the phone and worrying about your class is just super super stressful) but I can also imagine hundreds of other jobs that would make it very hard to do as well. So what, you either wait for the holidays or take a day off if you can do that just to wait for a call? It effectively shuts a huge swathe of people out of medical care or forces them to pay for some sort of private treatment. I’ve been buying my contraceptive pills privately (legitimately!) for years since I realised that way I can click and get them delivered to my house rather than wait around. A GP was once gobsmacked that I’d pay rather than get them free but avoiding the pissing around every 6 months was worth £15 to me.

Sorry miss understood thought the fact that you were concerned about the thiness of your walls meant the neighbours could hear but regardless of whether it is the neighbours, your parents or kids, it's simply not feasible for the clinic to only be able to call people when it's convenient for them.

Step outside, go into the bathroom, ask for some privacy maybe??

Could you really not say you're not in a private place and can't go into details at the moment?

You may have one person doing all these call backs and if everyone has an issue why they can't walk into another room or the garden it makes a process that could take an hour, phoning back everyone who has left a message, take all day and when you've 50 phone calls to make, 30 lots of patient notes to update and samples to send off it means things don't get done and it impacts other areas of practice.

Everyone is misunderstanding the OP. She doesn’t expect them to call at a time that is convenient to her, she’s expecting to be able to call them and get it sorted out there and then rather than this backwards and forwards. I’m sure she’d be prepared to call a few times if she knew someone who could help would pick up eventually. Not too much to ask as for years this exact system has been in place.

Agree with all of this.

I also don't see how it can be efficient for the NHS and admin staff either when they end up unable to get hold of people- who's phone signal has dropped out, who have had to take their kids to school, who work in jobs where they can't take a call easily, who were desperate for a wee and miss the call cos of that!

I've had texts at 6.05pm to say that the GP tried to call twice during the day but I didn't answer ... but there's nothing at all showing on my phone as a missed call or a voicemail.

Only ever happens with my GP surgery, no-one else. Bewildering.

It's not a good or effective system and I think the NHS generally needs to start accepting more communication outside of phone calls within 10-hour windows, using secure systems.

OP, I would ask the actual GUM clinic why they don't have an email option, have to leave a message etc etc and if they have a better system for booking? Live chat for example?

• Could you attend another GUM clinic that has a walk in service?
• Could you see your GP or practice nurse? My GP has an online form I can complete, with as much or little detail as I choose, and they will call back
• Speak to a pharmacist in their private room and buy a BV kit

Ha ha. Voicemails are totally inefficient. People ramble on and don't get to the point (and only say their phone number once, I always say it twice in case the person doesn't get it the first time). Online booking is much more efficient. E-consult is good except that they ask lots of irrelevant questions and it takes longer than it should to fill the form in.